Dreams of a Little Sick Girl
by stiffkittens101
Summary: This is a one shot inspired by the song/poem "Lady of Shalott." Its about a young girl who wanted nothing more than to break free. Sound familiar? Set in AU.


_Okay so I've had this idea for a while now and I finally found time to get it done. Once again this inspiration from a song. The song is none other than "Shalott" by the lovely and talented, Emilie Autumn. The song is actually based off a famous piece of literature titled "The Lady of Shalott" by the late medieval poet, Lord Alfred Tennyson. If you haven't heard of him or Miss Autumn, I strongly suggest that you check out their work. So here it is! Enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own the poem "Lady of Shalott" by Lord Tennyson nor do I own the song "Shalott" by Emilie Autumn. I am simply using the lyrics for creative writing purposes._

_**P.S** If I completely butchered the Old English language, I deeply apologize._

Dreams of a Little Sick Girl

The young raven haired girl awoke in her dark room with but one thin string of light cracking from her shaded window. She rubbed her eyes and rose out of her small canopy bed with a yawn. She walked up to the window and drew the curtain, letting the light shine in through her stained glass window. The colors of the glass reflected on the light and produced a small rainbow onto the wood floor, making her smile. That's when her father walked through the door, clad in his cloak and spectacles carrying a cup and spoon in his hand.

"Good morrow, daughter!" he greeted with a smile.

She returned the smile and greeted him with a hug. "Good morrow, father."

Nathan returned the hug and then gave a concerned frown. "Shilo, why art thou away from thine bed?"

"Forgive me, father. Thy wanted to gaze upon the morning. Tis' a beautiful day is it not?"

"Aye, but thou art in no such health to be out of bed so early. Get thee to bed!"

"Dear father, prithee , might I just open up the window? Just a crack?"

"Nay, daughter you may not. The air is much too thick and the wind is cold. Now, get thee to bed so that I might give thee thine elixir."

Shilo sighed and crawled back into bed as her father commanded. She sat up and opened her mouth as he gave her morning medicine. You see, Shilo was quite ill. She was born with a sickness in her blood that was passed on by her late mother. Her father, Nathan, was one of the kingdoms best and well-known doctors. The kingdom was ruled by a very powerful and wealthy king, Rottissimo Largo, and he and his family were loved by their subjects. However although know one would admit to it, the king was also very greedy and he kept all his subjects quite busy, especially those who worked directly under him. This included Nathan.

Because of his profession, Nathan and Shilo were of the upper middle class rank and lived comfortably in their home. Unfortunately also because of his profession, Nathan was hardly ever at home during the day, leaving Shilo alone locked up in her room all day. After his beloved wife, Marni, had died in childbirth, Nathan was left heartbroken. Rather than resent her, he saw his precious daughter as a blessing and vowed from then on that he would keep her safe no matter what it took. Therefore he decided that the best way to do that was to keep her completely sheltered from the evils of the outside world. He kept her door and window locked and "highly advised" her to stay in bed for the majority of the day. Each morning before he left he would give her daily dosage of medicine and would give her another at night before she slept. He was immensely protective of her and because of that she was confined to her bedroom with nothing but her burlap dolls and secret collection of small insects for comfort.

After she drank her medicine, her father kissed her forehead and smiled at her. She smiled back and they exchanged their goodbyes before he got up, closed the door and left. Shilo sighed as she heard the door lock behind him. Once again she crawled out of bed and peeked behind the curtain and watched as her father left. As soon as he was out of sight she unlatched the lock on the window and opened it. She stuck her head out and closed her eyes as she breathed in the cool, fresh air. She opened her eyes and gazed at the wonders of her surroundings. She mused at the soft movements of the grass and admired the vibrant colors of the flowers. She stayed like that for a moment and then went back inside. She knew that it was unsafe for her to inhale the air for too long, as her father always told her. She resided to sit down on the stool and began working with the cloth on her spinning wheel. She spun for an hour or so, trying to concentrate on her work to pass the time.

After spinning for a while she began to yawn. One of the side effects to her medicine was that it made her feel very tired and weak. So at last she stopped working and moved off of her stool and once again went to the window. She looked outside through the stained glass and reflected on her thoughts. Oh how she wished she could go outside, to feel the grass between her toes and the wind through her hair. How she wished someone would come and set her free.

_She's locked up with her spinning wheel _

_She can't recall what it was like to feel_

_She said "This room's gonna be my grave _

_And there's no one who can save me_

She shook her head and sighed. There was no use for wishful thinking. Besides her father knew what was best for her. He only wanted to keep her healthy after all. She sat back and the stool and started to spin again attempting to distract herself. Yet she couldn't help but wonder what other girls her age might be doing at the very moment. She was seventeen years of age; well pass the age of the woman. She may have been confined to her tower but she was not ignorant to the ways of the world. Her father acted as her tutor and he brought her many books to keep. Shilo knew how to read and write, paint and of course spin cloth, it had become a past time of hers. It was both useful and entertaining, at least for a while. Shilo also knew that most girls her age were already betrothed some even married. Shilo was grateful to have at least the company of her father but sometimes wondered what it would be like to have another companion. Someone else to converse with, to laugh with, to kiss…

_She sits down to her colored thread _

_She knows, lovers waking up in her bed _

_She says "How long can I live this way?_

_Is there no one I can pay to let me go?"_

Shilo then begun to think of her mother. Nathan often talked of his dearest Marni. He spoke of her beauty and grace, her charm and wit. He spoke of her as if she were a queen. He also insisted that Shilo was the spitting image of her and that she would have been proud of her daughter. This confused Shilo. What would her mother be possibly proud of? What accomplishments could she possibly have if she was so incapable of health that forced her to stay in the shadows? Surely there was so much more she could discover if she were allowed to explore. Sometimes Shilo was downright sick of her situation.

_Cause I'm sick of shadows_

_I want to see the sky_

_Everyone can watch as the sun goes down so why can't I?_

The sky began to darken and the clouds rolled in. Shortly after rain began to fall. This would have caused most people to become as gloomy as the sky but not Shilo. To her, the rain was a beautiful as the sunshine. She wished to feel it on her skin. 'Damn this disease' she cursed.

_And it's raining_

_And the stars are falling from the sky  
><em>

_And the wind I know its cold  
><em>

_I've been waiting  
><em>

_For the day I will surely die_

_And its here for I've been told_

_That I'll die before I'm old_  
><em>And the wind I know it's cold...<em>

That night, Shilo's father came home and gave her nightly dosage of medicine. She drank it up and fell asleep. The next morning, they repeated the same routine and she returned to her spindle. However in the middle of her daily musings, that night, something amazing happened. As Shilo was gazing out as usual, something unusual caught her eye. It was a man with long corn floured hair, wearing a dark cloak, riding a horse and carrying a bag of tools, including a shovel. Shilo stared at him, wide eyed and curious. Who was this strange man and what was he doing wandering in the middle of the night?

She continued to gaze down at him and suddenly noticed and turned to look up. She quickly knelt down in panic. He called out to her.

"Is there someone there? I prithee, sir or madam, show thy self."

Shilo nervously crept up and revealed herself, closing her robe tightly around her.

"Pardon me, good sir." She called out. "I did not mean to disturb thee. Thy was merely looking out into the night sky when it just so happened that thou passed by."

The man smirked and held up his lantern to get a better look at her. He pulled off his hood and then she too was able to get a close look at his face. He was quite pale but he was also quite handsome. He smirked at her and she blushed as her heart begun to beat fast. What was this sudden feeling she wondered.

"Fear not, fair maiden. Thy take no offense to thee. I am humble to meet such a comely young dame."

This made Shilo's face even redder but she did not turn away.

"I prithee, good sir. What is thy name?"

He laughed. "I am but a simple necro merchant and carry no honorary title."

Shilo tilted her head. "Necro merchant?" What on earth was that? The man could sense her confusion and proceeded to explain his strange occupation to her. While the task itself seemed rather unsettling, Shilo found the man himself to be very fascinating. It was most likely because she had never had any human contact with anyone besides her father before. Sometimes she watched others pass by her tower. Children, merchants, peddlers, and lovers. However, she had never once talked to any of them. This man was so different. He was dark and pale and yet quite charismatic at the same time He certainly was nothing like the knights in shining armor that she read about. Regardless, Shilo couldn't help but feel an attraction to this stranger.

After conversing for a while, he bid her goodnight and went on his way. Shilo slept peacefully that night and the next morning she thought of him again. He was so handsome and she didn't even get the chance to tell him her name. Still, although they had only met once she felt that it must have been fate. Something inside told her that she had to see him again. She glanced at her window and wondered, if he would come again. Could he be the one to set her free?

_She looks up to the mirrored glass  
><em>

_She sees a handsome horse and rider pass  
><em>

_She says "that's man gonna be my death  
>'Cause he is all I ever wanted in my life<br>_

_And I know he doesn't know my name  
><em>

_And that all the girls are all the same to him  
><em>

_But still I've got to get out of this place  
><em>

_'Cause I don't think I can face another night  
><em>

_Where I'm half sick of shadows  
>And I can't see the sky<br>Everyone else can watch as the tide comes in  
>So why can't I?<em>

Days passed and there was still no sign of the necro merchant. Why did he not come? She wondered. When they spoke, he told her that he often passed the road beside her tower in his travels. Could that have been a lie? No, it couldn't have been. Surely he would have no reason to make something up like that. What would his reasoning be? She thought for a moment, about the tales her father told her of the outside world. He said that it was not what it seemed, that it was cruel and that people were often misleading. He said that she was much better off safe inside her room; that she would not survive out there, especially with her illness. Shilo sighed. Perhaps he was right. What sense was there in girlish dreaming? Why should she have so much hope for a world she did not know and for a man she had only met once? As she was about to go back to her spinning wheel, she heard a bird singing outside her window. She turned to see it was perched on the window sill. She stopped in her tracks and then went to open it. As she did, the bird gave one last chirp and then spread its brilliant wings and flew away. As Shilo watched it fly away into the sun she reached out and single tear fell from her eye. How she longed to fly away too. How could her father speak so poorly about a world with so much beauty in it?

_But there's willow trees  
><em>

_And little breezes, waves, and walls, and flowers  
><em>

_And there's moonlight every single night  
><em>

_As I'm looked in these towers_

In that moment, Shilo decided that she simply had to leave. She would see the world, find the man of her dreams and confess her love. Even if it meant that she had to die in the process.

_So I'll meet my death  
><em>

_But with my last breath I'll sing to him I love  
><em>

_and he'll see my face in another place"  
><em>

_And with that the glass above_

In the dark depths of the night, she put on her cloak, grabbed the makeshift rope she sewed up out of the canopy and sheets from her bed. She had sewn them together, cut them up and tied them in knots. She threw the rope down the wall of the tower. She placed one leg over the window and took one last at the room, the room that had so long been a prison. She had left a note of apology to her father, knowing that he never meant to trap her. She took one last deep breath before she was completelty out the window and climbed down. The feeling of her feet touching the ground was exhilarating. She smiled as she walked through the silent forest and down to the river where she figured there may be a boat, at least she had hoped. To her surprise and relief, there was indeed a small rowboat tied to the dock. There was no one nearby. It was as if it were waiting for her to claim it. She stepped into the boat and carefully cut the rope with the small dagger she had brought along. The rope now torn, the boat began to float away. Shilo gasped in anticipation, she was going to be free, finally free.

Oh the things she would see the people she would meet. Maybe if she was very lucky, she would get to see Lady Magdalene Defoe of France perform. Shilo heard that the women had the most beautiful voice. Maybe her escape would inspire the lady to write a song. So many happy thoughts were filling up inside her. At the same time she began to feel the effects of her medicine, a sudden fatigue starting to overcome her. The chill air rolled in and blew past her, causing her to shiver. It was freezing. She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a heavy sigh. The wind was cold, so cold. Shilo's eyes suddenly became heavy and her body felt limp. She could feel the blood thinning in her veins. She lay back and looked up at the starry sky, letting out a lighthearted laugh. She wasn't going to make it. She was dying.

_Cracked into a million bits  
><em>

_And she cried out "So the story fits  
><em>

_But then I could have guessed it all along  
><em>

_'Cause now some drama queen is gonna write a song for me"_

_She went down to her little boat  
><em>

_And she broke the chains and began to float away  
><em>

_And as the blood froze in her veins she said  
><em>

_"Well then that explains a thing or two  
>'<em>

_Cause I know I'm the cursed one  
>I know I'm meant to die<br>Everyone else can watch as their dreams untie  
>So why can't I?<em>

She smiled as it begun to rain again. She closed her eyes and cherished the feeling of the cool drops of water on her skin. She could feel herself drifting off to a better place.

_And it's raining_

_And the stars are falling from the sky  
>And the wind I know it's cold<br>I've been waiting  
>For the day I will surely die<br>And its here for I've been told  
>That I'll die before I'm old<em>  
><em>And the wind I know it's cold...<em>

"Maiden! Maiden! Art thou alive? Speak, maiden!"

Shilo slowly opened her eyes. She smiled to see the man she had been searching for gazing down at her. Although she was very weak, she never felt happier.

"Shilo? Shilo!"

She turned to see none other than her father, accompanied by a beautiful dark haired woman she had never seemed before.

"Dear, God!" the woman cried out. "What happened to the child?"

"She is mine!" cried Nathan. "And she is ill!" He knelt beside her and brought her into his arms. "Shilo, my daughter! What hath become of thee? Why doth thou leave thine room?"

"Forgive me, father." She whispered. "It was worth it." She let out one last breath and closed her eyes. Her father gasped and shook her.

"Shilo, Shilo! I prithee! Awaken! Wake up! Wake up…

"Shilo, honey. Wake up!"

The teenage girl opened her eyes and saw her father staring down at her."Wha-what happened?"

Nathan sighed and gave a light chuckle. "Nothing, sweetie. You just fell asleep while reading again. You were pretty out of it but I'm glad that you're okay."

Shilo was confused. She felt a small weight on her lap and looked down to see a red book open to poem titled "The Lady of Shalott" by Lord Tennyson. She looked around the room and took a second to recognize her surroundings of stuffed animals and Blind Mag posters. There was nothing medieval about the room. It had all been a dream. This was the real world.

"Shilo, honey. Are you sure you're okay?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, dad. I'm fine." She finally said.

He smiled and rose from her bedside. "Good. Well I have to go to work now but I'll call in every so often to check up on you, okay?"

"Okay." She answered weakly. Before he left the room she stopped to ask him a question. "Dad?"

"Yes, precious?"

"I really am sick, aren't I?"

He gulped and his warm smile faded into an apologetic frown. He paused for a moment and then answered. "I'm afraid so, honey. Don't forget to take your medicine okay? Good night, sweetheart."

With that he closed the door and locked it. Shilo sighed in disappointment. She rose from her bed and went to her window, gazing at the city outside.


End file.
